Changeable sign



-H. K AHN. CHANGEABLE SIGN. APPLICATION FILED M/IY I2| I9I9.

Patented Aug. 17,1920.4

ffy, j

. sign.

HERMAN KAHN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GHANGEABLE suini.`

nection with the drawing accompanying and .forming a part hereof, is aspecilication..

This invention relates to signs in which letters or other characters maybe placed and from which said letters and characters may be removed tobe replaced by different letters and characters.

Among the objects of this invention are to obtain a device of the kindnamed which may be of considerable size 'for use aswhat known as a sidewallr sign, that is; a sign over or alongside a sidewalk, street orhighway; a sign of a character described of which the changeable lettersor characters may be applied to and assembled on the body of the signwithout said body being removed from the suspending attachment 'hereof'.y

To obtain a sign of the character `described from which letters andcharacters may be removed singly or in groups as pre iterred and thewords or characters which replace said removed words or characters,maybe applied singly or in groups.`

Additional objects are to obtain a change# able sign which is simple inconstruction economically made, the operation whereo is easilyunderstood and a sign which is die rable and not liable to get out oforder.

In the drawing referred to:

'Figure l is a front elevation of a changeable sign embodying theinvention. 1

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2.-2 of Fig. l viewed in the directionindicated by the arrows.

y Fig. 3 is an. end molding applied as a thesign.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, are front, rear and edge elevations of a changeablemember of, the

elevation of a sheet metal border to the edges oi 7 is an end elevationof a member Fig.

the body of the forming an element oi' sign.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a holding member adapted for use forremoving and applying groups of changeable members from and to the bodymembers of the sign.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9--9 Specification of LettersFatent. l

`be parallel with and in `Parental Aeg. 17, 1920;

`applicationined May 12, 1919.` seriaiNo. 296,377.

oil? Fig. 8 viewed in the direction indicated byA the arrows.

Figs, 8 and Tare on an enlarged scale and Figs. 8 and 9 are on a reducedscale.

A' reference character applied to designate a given `part indicates saidpart throughout the` several iigiires of the drawing wherever the sameappears.

A.,represents the base of the sign, `and B, moliliiig which attached tothe edges `of said base. In Fig. 3 an end view of sheet metal molding,(li) is illustrated. to make the molding illustrated in Fig. 3, of sheetmetal, a sheet oil` inet-alv is used, and bent or ,formed up, as at Y),b"- and b2, and curved, as at b3. The part or portion 0L, of thismolding is attached to the body A, in such a manner as to obtain aspaced relation, as C,

between the face indicated by letter b5 or molding B, and the face cibase A. Said face of is substantially parallel with the face of: base A.

At one end oi base A there is a shallow receptacle which is providedwith door hinged thereto by hinges ci, d. The door comprises a framecli, having a sheet of clear glass cl2 therein. Xgainet glass Z2 itisdesigned to place a poster, to be viewed through said glass. y

Extending longitudinally on base A is the bar E. An end view of this barillustrated in Fig. 7,and comprises members e, el, joined byhinge c2. `Aportion of the member e and ci. el, is removed, so that when said bar isassembledon said base A, thefaces F, F1, being in contact with theiliace ot' said base, faces f, f1, of said bar, will spaced relation tothe said face. By said removing of sait portion of said members c, el,obtain shoulder f2 on which the several, characters in the upper line ofthe sign, rest; andthe shoulder f3 which its above the upper edge ofthechangeable characters in the `lower line of the sign, when said member eisin the position in which it is illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 6 of thedrawin0f,beingits normal position.

k:in the grouping frame' Gr, which is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, aUshaped longitudinally extending member g is secured, by vertical endmembers g1, g1, to members g2, g2, which are parallel to each other andto member g.

This grouping frame G is made of thin sheet metal, the vertical membersg1, g1,

Dee

changeable being slightly thicker than the thickness of the changeablecharacters used therein. The thickness of said members g, g1, g2 beingexaggerated in Fig. 9 of the drawing. The thickness of said framecorresponds with the spaced relation of Jaces f1, of bar E to the -faceof base A, so that said frame may be placed on base A, with the loweredge thereof resting on shoulder or table f2, in the same manner that asingle letter may be placed in said position on said base. The foregoingapplies also to the placing said frame in 'position to form the lowerline of said sign.

- To` place letters in grouping frame G the lowerV ends vof saidlettersare inserted between members g2, g2, and moved transversely, until saidlower ends rest in the U- shaped member g. By commencing the insert ofsaid letters in the grouping frame at one end thereof and'successivelyplacing additional letters between said members g2, g2, adjacent to theones already inserted, no sliding of said letters longitudinally in saidgrouping vtrame is required.

'Ilo assemble the grouping frame G, (or a single letter) and base A, tomake the lower 'line of said sign, member el of bar E, is turnedpivotally on hinge e2, into a substantially horizontal position, afterwhich the frame is put in place, (or the single letters required) and itis returned to its normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

'Io assemble the grouping frame G (or a single letter) with base A, toferm the top line of the sign, the upper edge o1n said frame G, (or of asingle letter), is placed back of the upper member of the moldingbetween the face of said base and face b5 of said member, and movedupward in said space until the lower bar (g) of said frame, (or thelower edge of a single letter) may be moved over the upper' edgel c3,(Fig. 7), of said bar E, and moved back against the face oit' said baseA and allowed to drop down on to face or table f2.

The letters J, and I, which are illustrated in Fig. l as in place on thesign, and the numeral l which is illustrated in Fig. 4, are painted orotherwise placed on bases of thin sheet metal, n Figs. tand 5, the edgesof said'base I-I are turned up, as at li, t, to obtain sutiicientthickness thereto so that the base of one letter or character will notmove or be. moved back ot' the Vbase of another letter which is adjacentthereto.

The turned up edges 7L, It, of base H, are not essential when thegrouping frame G is used,'as the thickness of the vertical end membersg1 et said trame may be made ol metal which `is slightly thicker thanthe said bases II, II; the thickness o'l said grouping framecorresponding, in such case with the spared relation ol the severalfaces o, of molding B, and f, f1, oi bar IC, to the ilface of base A.

One (or more) grouping frame may be used to make a given line in thesign, or a grouping frame which is not as long as the line to be madeand additional single letters may be used to make a line.

then said grouping trame is used the letters and characters lnay betaken therefrom and assembled therein on a sidewalk, in the vestibule ofa theater or show piave. or in any Aconvenient place, and said Ytramerem ved from and replaced in a sign, together with the letters andcharacters thereon. W'hen said grouping frame is not used the lettersare placed singly on the sign` in the manner hereinbeiiore described.

rIlhe grouping frame (i may be secured in place on base A, by pins orbolts lf, l, (l `ig. l) extending through apertures IJ, l), (Fig. S) invertical end members g1, 'f/l, ol' said frame, in lien oi. said :trameheilig placed back of the molding and bar IC, as hereinbefore described.

I claim: I l. A grouping frame romprising, in combination, a` U-shapedlongitudinally extending member, a plurality of additionallongitudinally extending members, and means to hold said plurality oimembers parallel to each other and parallel to and in spaced relation tosaid U-shaped member, whereby bases provided with characters thereon maybe inserted between said plurality oit members and moved transverselythereto and toward said U-shaped member, to seat said character base insaid U-shaped member.

2. In a changeable sign, a base and a, molding having rear i'acesparallel with and in spaced relation to the 'lare ol` said base, incombination with a longitudinally extending bar having rear l'accsparallel with and in similar spaced relation to said 'tare of said base,and letters on bases, said bases of said letters adapted to be placed onsaid iirst named base with the upper and lower edges thereof betweensaid first named base and said parallel faces which are in sparedrelation thereto.

HERMAN .KA TIN. In the presence of` CHAnLns TURNER Brown, J L. Buon.

llt)

